Cars and houses are two basic needs that, when bought back-to-back, might result in negative consequences.

When looking at your credit report, have you ever noticed the "inquiries" section?

Inquiries are records that appear on your credit report every time the credit bureau receives a legal request from a company or person to view your credit information.

There are two types of inquiries: A hard inquiry and a soft inquiry. 

Can you guess which one hurts your credit score?

Check out the infographic below to see how each inquiry differs and what triggers them to occur. 

If you’ve recently been rejected from a credit application of any kind, you may be looking at a poor credit score for any number of reasons. Maybe you've been late with your credit card payments, have an outstanding judgment against you or fell victim to identity theft.

Your credit score is a number based on the information in your credit file. This score shows the likelihood of your ability to re-pay a debt on time. Lenders use this score to determine whether you qualify for a loan and what interest rate you will pay.

What actions will hurt your credit score?